Those Who Dream
by Stardust Ray
Summary: There is a difference between those who dream dreams, and those who live them. I won't lie and say that things were perfect between us after we defeated Ultimecia, but I do know we were in over our heads with our new relationship together. That's why I wasn't surprised when Rinoa, one day out of nowhere, decided to leave. A dramedy for the Where I Belong Challenge Squinoa
1. Introduction

Hello, Everyone! This story is a submission for the Where I Belong Challenge. If you haven't already come across the details of this event, please visit the Where I Belong Forum found in the Final Fantasy VIII Forum section here at . I encourage you to check out the other author's marvelous stories (and artwork) that have been posted in the community as well as the message board by following the links provided in the Forum. I've also uploaded an artwork image to accompany this particular work, because I couldn't resist. I will speak more freely about my latest news at the bottom of this introductory chapter, and also leave a brief follow up message at the end of this short story. Thanks for taking a look! Enjoy!

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_**Those Who Dream**_

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I won't lie. Things haven't exactly been a fairytale since Ultimecia's defeat and time was restored. Sure Rinoa and I shared a kiss the night of the celebration party, but it would be the start of something very different in both our lives. Through our efforts as a team, we saw the peace and tranquility returning to our world after Ultimecia's death. Things were slowly beginning to change for the better in our global community.

We were recognized for our efforts, awarded and praised, and was everything but forgotten the first few months following our victory. At the same time, Timber was celebrating its independence and had then proceeded to reestablish its own government. Deling City was now under the counsel of the reinstated General Caraway. Its citizen's felt safer with the ever present general nearby and voted him into office there. The general was even kind enough to reassign the ex-headmaster Martine into his old position as Galbadia Garden's headmaster once again. There were rumors surfacing concerning Laguna speaking with Mayor Dobe about possibly having the railroads connecting FH, Esthar, and Timber restored, but I haven't heard anything further of it. It was still big news to see leaders discussing change and actually trying to come together; ironically, my friends and I were slowly losing touch with one another.

These were the biggest events to occur before people started to forget about our accomplishments, and not long after that, we faded into the shadows of the past. From that time on work continued as usual; however, our missions were no longer missions to assassinate iniquitous sorceresses, but to defeat monsters that had roamed too far into smaller towns. Some cases were more extreme than others depending on the region, and the requests for Balamb's assistance continued to pour in. Missions were handed out more frequently due to the large amount of monsters surfacing the world, and we, SeeDs and cadets alike, helped to clear out as much of the beasts as we could. Honestly, it wasn't a real challenge for me or the others, but we continued to follow orders and downsized the intruders. Needless to say, those same missions eventually became very dull.

Without any major challenges present on the horizon, my life became stagnant and mundane. Boredom began to reflect in various areas of my life, even in my relationship with Rinoa. I started to wonder if Rinoa shared my thoughts of unfulfilling days, because she had never once voiced her concerns about our life together. Had I affected her this much? The girl from the past would have thought it time to pursue something more, something greater than either of us, and would have been very vocal about it. What had I done to her? Eventually, I think Rinoa sensed something had changed about me, about us, and became very distant thereafter. I couldn't blame her for doing so; after all, it's not like I had actually said a word to her about my feelings.

I was surprised one day when Rinoa said she had to talk to me about something.

"Squall…I," she gathered her breath at first. "I don't know how else to say this, but it's only fair to tell you now…" Rinoa lowered her eyes for a second and then returned them to me. "…I'm going to be leaving Balamb Garden. I need to find my purpose again."

"…It's been a year and a half since we went up against Ultimecia," Rinoa continued softly, cautiously, "since I became a sorceress. Everybody we know accepts me as I am and others know that I'm a peaceful and a good sorceress, just like Edea was when she was one. I know I'll be okay on my own. I don't want you to feel dutiful about protecting me anymore. Now that Timber has its independence, our contract is no longer in effect and I don't think Galbadia will come looking for me anymore. I just…I don't know what else there is for me to do here. I want to be with you here, but then…at the end of the day this is your job and also your home. Being here is something that you have to do…and I…I'm starting to feel like I don't belong here, like I'm in the way because I'm not a SeeD. I'm reminded of it every day in more ways than you know. I want to do more, but I can't when I'm here… That's why I have to go."

"Maybe someday," she whispered, eyes watering just a slight, "we can meet up again with smiles and have no hard feelings about this…"

I didn't know how to respond or react. She had made a point after all, and her words meant that she would not be coming back anytime soon. I didn't want to force my lifestyle onto her any more than she would've wanted me to quit my job and leave garden with her. We were coming to the end of the line, the end of our life together so it seemed. I agreed that maybe she wanted to find something to be as passionate about as I was about being a SeeD, anything that would make her happy. If anything, I _wanted_ her to be happy. I still do. But I hated hearing that she felt out of place or in the way and most of all I hated the fact that it was my fault for her feeling so. That was never my intention. I wanted her to know that.

Unfortunately, in that prolonged amount of time, I did and said nothing. I couldn't find the words. Of course my mind replayed all of our memories together, every moment we'd shared. Even our brief closeness that the garden's rules prohibited came back to haunt me… And there I was, regretting not using any of that free time we had acquired to learn more about Rinoa, get closer to her, and enjoy her while we had the time together. In the end, I couldn't give her what she really wanted…and that was more of my time. I hated myself for not saying a word, even though I wanted to. I couldn't tell her to stop because I knew it was my fault she was unhappy. It hurt to watch her go, and so I granted myself the excuse that it probably just wasn't meant to be…

Rinoa left soon after our conversation and I stayed to myself. Gradually, I had regressed back into my past self, that taciturn and aloof individual whom appeared cold and heartless. But now that the others understood me better, they respected what I had been through and just left me alone to my thoughts. Occasionally, they'd try to have little gatherings in between work and classes, but it just wasn't the same without her there. She really was the life of the party. Every day I tried to push her out of my mind, but to no avail. I failed horribly. It was just like before when Rinoa was ready to be frozen, suspended in time at the Sorceress Memorial and I initially failed to stop her from doing so.

Why did I hesitate both times? …It seems like I haven't changed at all. When I think of it that way, maybe that's why she left me…

Rinoa…forgive me.

A few months after she left, I had been assigned a couple of missions with tasks varying from easy to intermediate. While I thought I was up to par with everyone else, apparently I wasn't. The headmaster called me to his office a week later to ask how I was fairing. I knew he had heard of Rinoa's sudden departure a while back and yet I didn't want to bring up our relationship or make it about either of us. He had known we were dating, and at certain times, turned a blind eye to our rule breaking. As long as we weren't doing anything serious, in which case we hadn't, we could continue to see each other. So to avoid the details, I simply told him that Rinoa's contract had expired the day Timber achieved its independence.

Cid is no fool. He saw right through my bluff. He saw that I had been struggling without her there. He reminded me that I was a SeeD, and that I had to remember my priorities first among everything else. He told me he would allow me some time off to recover and remember why I was there in the first place. I had to find my focus again.

I don't know why, but something inside me clicked when he said those words. I hadn't felt a snap like that since the day I decided to take my role as a leader seriously.

"Not just time off," I spoke suddenly. "…I think I may need to revaluate my life. I'm sorry if this is a huge inconvenience to you, sir, but I don't I want to be here if I'm not giving it my all. Being a SeeD is," It was sad. I had no words to spare about my work anymore. Being a SeeD was all that I knew, but it wasn't something I had dreamed of being. It was something I had been raised to be. Like Irvine said before, sometimes there were no other choices in the matter and it was simply the only thing to do. "Balamb is my home…and I'm really grateful for everything. So I hope you can understand why I have to leave."

"…I understand perfectly fine, Squall," Cid smiled. I was surprised by his answer. "…You've reached a point in your life where you need to make your own choices. You need to decide what's best for you from here on out. I would love to see you stay, but I also pledged to never see any of you become machines for war. You may take as much time off as you need. I'll be glad to let you keep your salary here, just to help you get started."

"You don't have to do that, sir. I'll be fine on my own," I said, displaying the strongest SeeD salute I could muster.

Headmaster Cid looked down at his desk as if searching for something, words perhaps, before standing to his feet and recapturing eye contact with me. He saluted me in return, a fine salute, and we both dropped our hands in sync, "If it's your choice to support yourself, then I'll abide." In his heart, I think he knew I was trying to say goodbye.

"You are still a wonderful SeeD, and I'm happy that you're willing to do what is necessary for your team and your mission, but it's very important that you find balance in your life. Being married is rewarding and I cherish my wife more than anything, but with such sentiment comes trial. When you've been tried and tested, you will see what's important. Your priorities will become clear, and it will force you to find balance all on your own. I wish you the best of luck in discovering balance in whatever you decide to do from now on, Squall. Please remember and know that you'll always be welcomed here."

"Also," Cid added on, "If you should decide to come back, I want you to return knowing that _this_ is where you _want _to be."

Cid Kramer, after all those years, was still the same; the toughest pushover if there ever was one—respectfully speaking. Although he was a rare sight to the others and me as children, Cid was a bigger presence once we joined garden. He was and still is like a father to us, especially to me. Even when the garden faculty was present and tried to regulate his every move for most of our lives, Cid was there, unchanging. No matter what, I will always look up to the headmaster and have great respect for him. He and Edea continue to run Balamb Garden and are refocusing on their very first mission, raising SeeDs for future generations to defeat Ultimecia and any other sorceress to threaten our world again. They're still very passionate about this mission, and I can understand why.

When Cid outstretched his hand toward mine, I caught it in mid air with a firm grip and shook it sternly.

"Good luck, Squall," Cid said proudly, causing me to release a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, sir," I wouldn't dare say it aloud, but I felt my eyes stinging with tears at that particular moment. I didn't know where my life was headed, but I knew, like Rinoa, I wouldn't be back here anytime soon. At the back of my mind I heard her voice from the past asking me a couple of questions, questions that I dreaded to hear, especially back then.

"_**Do you have any dreams, Squall? …Any goals for the future?"**_

All I could think of was the look in her eyes that night _and_ on the night of the celebration. I remembered the softness of her body and lips pressed against mine, and her warmth.

God, what I'd give to relive that moment with you again, Rinoa.

Even with the amount of time it's been since we last saw one another, I thought I would have gotten over you in some way, but…that's not the case. It's been forever since I last saw you, since I left Balamb… Even now, I can't forgive myself for letting you go…

I can't face you knowing that I did nothing to stop you from leaving in the first place… To make matters worse, I…I still can't answer your question. I'm sure you've fulfilled your dreams on your own…and you probably are happier given the amount of time it's been—three years…three years without me.

And with every passing day I know that that old saying is true…

_**There is a difference between [those who dream] dreams, and those who live them.**_

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_**Author's Little Window:**_

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_Hi! Stardust Ray here! As longwinded as I've become over the years, I could not suppress this story into a one shot as much as I tried to. I settled for splitting it into three chapters, well, two if you leave out or combine the introduction with the next chapter. Forgive my terribly late entry! It comes with the territory of living in an area prone to hurricanes and bad weather in general! Shout outs for you if you managed to get through all that angst in one piece. _

_Traditionally, I am an Alternate Universe writer as I feel strongly about the game's ending being near perfection, but that's just my opinion. So without a doubt this story is a personal challenge as I have never written a multi chaptered post game story. The only thing I've written post game related would be my one shot series, and I do encourage you to take a look. A one shot story is a great way to sample an author's writing without dealing with too much pressure of multi chapters. Anyway, since my one shots don't count, I've resulted to this dramedy, (dramatic comedy, and tragedy for me, lol.) Also note that because I am an AU writer, things might seem to take some AU twists._

_Be patient with me as I'm very rusty in the writing department! I've been spending most of my time drawing or working as of late, and no, the story does not carry on in 1__st__ person, though I do love a good first person story once in a while. Currently, I am working on continuing Fate,Wild and Eternal Breath (Albeit scarcely for the former! No one really reads it anymore because I took too long to revive it, and I don't really blame them for not returning.) I've seen major progress in the upcoming chapters for both of these stories. If you're interested, please check those out. I have a few stories that are already finished, so you don't have to put up with my laziness—Did I just say that? I meant my hardworking ass…_

_I am also going to be taking online courses for artwork and such, and will become increasingly busy as I am already working a fulltime job (and in tourism to boot.) But enough about my personal boredom, I have a feeling I'll be uploading one more story by the time I've finished Fate,Wild, and to be honest, it's more than 75% done. I've left subtle hints of what it'll be about throughout this story, but those hints are very seldom and quite possibly invisible to anyone other than me as I know what to look for and no one else doesn't. I'm so ridiculous, I know. _

_Anyway! Thanks for reading! Please check out the other WIB stories when you have the time, and also swing by at my oldies. See you at the end of this story!_

_StardustRay _


	2. Bittersweet Reunion

"_**There is a difference between [those who dream] dreams, and those who live them."**_

It was a pasty morning in Timber. People busying with work, school, or simply enjoying the fresh morning breeze poured into the closely cornered streets. The atmosphere had definitely changed since the city's declaration of independence. Now trees sprouted up from between the concrete of the sidewalk and blossomed blissfully. Having planted them in front various businesses, the citizens knew their presence would bring some life and greenery into the square and stony neighborhoods of the once gloomy and poverty stricken city. The sky would eventually open up and take on a heavenly, crystal blue, with clear skies all day long. One just had to deal with the pale, bland clouds of the morning for now and look forward to the afternoon sky.

Timber's new peaceful ambiance brought in all sorts of people with multiple backgrounds and agendas. They arrived via train wanting tours of the iconic train themed town. The general public welcomed tourists and such as it was a good way to open up businesses and generate revenue. Even smaller businesses found opportunities here and there, wanting a slice of the thriving pie. However, not every business was there for its evolving economy. While some employees just happened to find a place that would serve as a temporary income until other things opened up, smaller employers just happened to have a client located in the wrong place. Either way, Timber's atmosphere remained unbothered by petty realities of everyday life, and was indeed a glorious place to carry out one's life.

Way across town, Rinoa bustled down the staircase from her apartment and cut through the streets as quickly as possible. It would be her second time appearing late for work in a single week. The first time she had been late due to cleaning up a spill that either she or Angelo caused (though she wouldn't completely rule the dog out as innocent since Angelo had a history of seeking attention in such ways— many times before that particular incident), and now she was simply late after oversleeping. It would be a long and painful story describing why she had to give Angelo a bath at two a.m, so the girl settled on cutting it short to the overly used 'I overslept' excuse. The dog dictated her life, so it seemed, and was more her child than a partner in battle. Rinoa understood that none of this would be viable as a great excuse, however. Even though she worked for a laid back company, it would still appear very disrespectful to show up late for work, especially twice in the same week.

She bypassed the morning joggers and dog walkers, muffling a 'sorry' here or an 'excuse me' there. Such was the norm for her now. How had she come to this life anyway? With General Caraway obtaining an office in Deling City, people made it their point to get into his personal life, which meant that her business was now his business. To avoid succumbing to the pressure of fanatical paparazzi, she moved back to Timber to maintain a low key job. She could also exercise her new rights as a citizen here at her second home and check in with her old friends time and time again.

After leaving Balamb Garden three years ago, her life tended to take drastic changes due to that one finalizing conversation with Squall. It rang as a living testament of her accomplishments as well as failures. She made it a point to live on her own. Rinoa was solely independent and maintaining a life somehow. The income might not have been much, but it was enough to provide her room and board in a place where people knew her before she had become a sorceress, and if they had known she had become one, nobody cared that she was. They remembered how she had played an important and major role in helping to liberate Timber. If it hadn't been for her hiring SeeD, they might still be carrying out petty strategies against dummy presidents.

There wasn't a day that hadn't gone by that Rinoa didn't think of Squall, even if not directly. Still, Rinoa did her best to live without thinking of him. Naturally she was concerned about him, his wellbeing, and the type of missions he'd been on lately. She even wondered if he had found someone else to be with by now. The girl immediately shook her head at the thought, trying to rid away some tiny hints of jealousy. One could say the young woman struggled to maintain her stability without her dear friend, but Rinoa would hate to be seen as weak. Although with such jealous and poisonous thoughts brewing, she could have considered herself becoming weaker regardless.

And if he had moved on…was it her any of her business? She should have felt happy for him. It wasn't about missing him or loathing him, after all. She simply wanted to know that he was okay, but her thoughts mirrored the trees that were now sprouting up too high. Like these untrimmed trees, fear sprung up inside her mind and blocked all signs of progress, causing a slight regression—natural and untamed, and sometimes even distracting or shading the obvious, hiding the truth. They were much like Rinoa's case of denial, to say the least. Why was he on her mind so much today anyway? He was a thing of the past, a phase, so to speak. That was it. _A phase…_ Whenever anyone asked her about her experiences with hiring SeeD back then, Rinoa always managed to conveniently leave out a lot of the details about her past, including her involvement with Squall.

She was into retail now, an assistant manager, and the past was the past. She worked six days out of the week at the pet store in Timber. It was perfect for her. Not only that, but working there also meant getting discounts on doggy treats for Angelo who was waiting at home for the moment.

It was just another day in the city, where every day was about keeping the pets and GFs happy, one item at a time.

Finally, she was within range of her workplace. Despite her being late, it would still be a lovely day.

A lovely day was far from his thoughts. He would have wished he could say the same.

Sharing a street with the busy hotel was the town's pet store where a lowly, red delivery truck pulled up in its front. The man parking this truck could not be bothered with the sights of this particular town. To be fair, any store requesting his products was a good place to visit, but any store located in _Timber _of all places was bad for his business. He wanted nothing more than to make his deliver and be on his way as soon as possible. He made Timber a rarity in his travels and would often have someone else to do this particular route for him as he had grown to dislike the train town with a passion.

The only reason for his making the delivery now, unfortunately, was because the usual driver called in sick, forcing him to take matters into his own hands.

He hadn't found a problem with the people or the culture. It was simply being there in general that sparked his disgust at the moment, because being in Timber brought back memories of a time in his life that was better off forgotten. Even continuing using GFs proved to be useless. He could never seem to lose the memories that he offered intentionally. It must have been a conspiracy on the GFs' behalf.

However, there was something very undeniable, something rather peculiar about his scarce visits to Timber. Each time he arrived in town, there was always a sudden and mysterious urge thrust upon him to write a letter to someone. Writing had never appealed to him in this way, especially personal letter writing. Even when the others suggested keeping journals, he was the least thrilled about doing so. He already knew about the spare notepad in the glove compartment of the truck's interior and the pen that was in the top right hand pocket of his red and yellow plaid shirt.

After making sure the truck was secured in its place aside the road, he collected the notepad and pen, and began to etch little characters into the soft paper. Interestingly enough, he would always find himself starting the same note, writing the same letters, forming the same words, and feeling the same emotions all over again, but nothing he wrote ever made any sense. There was no beginning, no mid, or an ending. It was an ongoing written conversation between himself and…

He stopped in midsentence, heart pounding within. It was chaos.

The boy immediately ripped the paper from the notepad and balled it up in his hand. He then tossed it into the empty passenger seat. Now was not the time for jotting down vain words.

He began the chore of gathering the items at his side; the two boxes containing the items ordered for delivery, the contact information, and the inventory sheet taped to the top of the smaller box that had now been placed atop the larger one for easier carrying. After a few minutes of getting situated, he opened the door and made the pet store his destination. He took safeguarded steps toward the store, cautiously and speedily.

Rinoa glanced down at her watch and cut around the parked truck outside of the store, almost colliding with a man in a brown cap, holding two cardboard storage boxes. "Sorry!"The girl chimed as she maneuvered around him quickly to reach the entrance. A taller woman with dark, ginger hair yanked the door open and propped it wider for Rinoa to enter.

"Good morning! Sorry I'm late!" Rinoa chirped as she bypassed the stocky woman, Margaret, who was the owner and manager of the pet shop.

"That's fine. You got here right on time for the delivery," she replied, continuing to prop the door while watching the delivery man readjust the boxes in his hold after being bombarded by Rinoa. The two boxes combined were a bit taller than his face. She understood it would take him a minute to get rebalanced. In that time, the manager explained, "I had to order elsewhere because _Junior's _wanted to add extra fees since my demand sheet was too little. The nerve of those guys, right? Men have gotten cockier since Timber was freed, I tell you," the older woman grunted holding the door wider for the young man who was making progress on his way toward the door.

Meanwhile, Rinoa had trotted to the left wall of the store's small interior until she was behind the front counter. It was positioned this way to see customers entering the store and browsing the premises. That way they were able to keep a full watch on almost every short aisle from behind the front desk.

"They want an extra penny for everything these days," the manager was still griping as her eyes wandered into the streets to people watch.

The girl reached up for her baby blue apron that was hanging from a clothing rack upon the wall behind the counter. She slipped it on over her white polo shirt and tightly fitting black pants. Rinoa was also wearing simple black slip on shoes as they proved most comfortable for this type of work. They were perfect for standing long periods at a time and featured a feminine oval shape with little black ribbon bows that Rinoa adored stitched above her hidden toes. By this time, the man with the boxes had reached the door, but had to wait for Margaret to increase its span slightly.

"Watch your step, sweetie," Margaret coached as she widened the entry by stepping outside, pulling the handle with full strength. It was a large and heavy glass door.

"Hey, Maggie!" A man yelled out to the older woman from the sidewalk outside. She had exposed the store to the busy outdoor sounds of Timber; the moving trains, barking dogs, and the crowds of random chatter that accompanied the footsteps of passerby.

"Hey, knucklehead! How's it going?!" The manager replied jokingly, and then proceeded to have a very public reunion from the door, heightening the already high volume of bodies in motion.

Rinoa grinned at the sound of the woman's voice which was now, thankfully, starting to fade as it had already blended in with the crowd outside. Shaking her head, Rinoa gathered the daily paperwork that was spread across the countertop. She had grown accustomed to tuning out her boss' banter, especially when it came to bashing men. Rinoa hated to take part in the conversation and usually felt embarrassed, and in some cases, more embarrassed or insulted than the victims about the nature of her topics. Experience taught her to find some miniature tasks to complete while there were victims (or visitors!) in the store, and so far, their visitor was now approaching the door seal. Her trained ears were usually compelled to ignore every noise under the low ceiling; but, nothing could prepare her for the sound of his exclusive work boot hitting the cool gray tiles of the floor.

Rinoa's heart stopped.

She froze in place, eyes glued to the spreadsheet before her. Maybe it was her imagination. All men's boots sounded the same when walking across the pavement, right?

With another step inside, she heard the familiar clink of a buckle echoing, curiously the same buckles from the boots he wore long ago, those stylish SeeD boots that he silently adored and polished faithfully once a week. He was so proud of them. She could never forget the sound of his footsteps leading the way in various circumstances. She was behind him every step of the way. The memories were undeniable.

Instinctively, Rinoa's eyes left the paperwork in front of her to meet the person standing in the store with two boxes in his arms, scanning the top of the first box at the moment.

Rinoa knew it. It _was_ him.

He was wearing a brown baseball cap with black outlining, a red and yellow plaid shirt that had been rolled up to the quarter length of his arms. The shirt was opened to reveal a white t-shirt beneath that was tucked into his dark denim jeans. Rinoa was surprised to find him wearing only one belt. Maybe his multiple belt usage of long ago was a phase? She smirked at the thought. And of course he was wearing his traditional SeeD boots that she had now dubbed 'pride' and 'joy.' He then turned the boxes to an angle to catch a ray of light in which caused a beam of light to reflect near her. Rinoa quickly found its source. How could she forget to look for it at first? It was the sterling silver glare that shone across the room from an unmistakable pendant hanging around his neck, though the boxes blocked the lion's head from her view.

Squall's head was downcast. He was reading and reviewing the paperwork that had been taped across the box to ensure everything had arrived intact after such a _long_ journey from his truck to the store.

The girl took advantage of having spotted him first. She stared at his brown locks of hair that had been somewhat trimmed and crushed beneath the cap. His face was hidden by its brim which fell over his eyes as he continued to concentrate on the paperwork below. The cap also made it very difficult for him to notice anyone else in the store, namely her at the moment. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, she thought. She had a little time to prepare for their reunion.

Squall snapped his head up suddenly. Rinoa flinched and ducked down a bit, but he glanced behind at the wall beside the door instead. It would become the next destination for the boxes. He had then made his way to that spot.

The brunet placed the boxes down gently on the floor beside the doorway so that no one would trip over them and then hunched over to grab up his paperwork that was still secured at its top. Pressing his traditionally leather gloved hand into the taped seal at its top, the papers popped up from beneath it without much struggle. After a moment or two he had finally gotten situated, and then stood upright from the boxes. It seemed like the manager was taking forever outside, even the door had been closed while she yapped with the man outside. She couldn't possibly be the only person willing and able to sign, could she?

He finally decided to search for an attendee to sign the appropriate signatures so he could be on his way. Facing the front counter, he immediately met eyes with the woman standing behind it or ducking out of sight rather.

Squall froze. His eyes widened like a scared deer caught in headlights. When she finally found his eyes, there was silence.

Their locked gaze persisted for what felt like an eternity.

_Rinoa…you look incredible. _Squall mused, blinking quickly at the gorgeous woman at the counter. He was scared to step forward, scared to approach her. He could do nothing but swallow the large lump that had gathered in his throat. With her hair pulled up into a high ponytail that fell loosely down her back, her face was more exposed. Rinoa kept her traditional bangs that rested against her forehead and the long locks of hair that cupped her face. He loved that look on her, but probably enjoyed this one more because it was more revealing. He had always thought her ears accented her face as well, but her old hairstyle seemed to hide them more. The boy stared at her face and noticed her rosy red cheeks. He wondered if she was embarrassed or blushing, but was unable to ask due to unfortunate shock.

A faint doorbell sounded behind them, but neither could react.

Across the room, Rinoa mirrored his behavior. She, too, was petrified. It was the last situation that she would have ever imagined to see him in. Even having gotten the chance to breathe before he noticed her, she was still taken aback by his heated stare. She stood uprightly and opened her mouth to say something, anything, but the words just wouldn't arrive.

"Hello?!" Margaret laughed while waving her hand before his face. "Where do I sign?!" Apparently, she had already reentered the facility and said hello twice before, but the astonished pair hadn't even noticed.

"Oh, uh," Squall tore his eyes away from Rinoa's, and looked down nervously. He then inhaled deeply and released a shaky breath before resuming his task, "Just sign here and initial there," he said, finally reassessing himself while pointing out the appropriate places for the signature.

"Alright," she said, placing her pen to the paper and following in his guidance. After a brief moment of signing and initialing, the stocky ginger grinned, "That should do it! You're as reliable and as reasonable as Fred told me. For an upcoming business, I'll be happy to order from you more often. I also took notice of the rare goodies you have for sale in your inventory. I might even have to incorporate them sooner or later, you know?"

"Thanks, I'd really appreciate that," he answered modestly with an amicable smile. "Would you like me to move the boxes to their designated area? It's a little heavy for lifting."

"No, no, we'll be fine. We're stronger than we look," the woman answered with a laugh. "Even little Rinny over there can manage," she retorted while thumbing behind at the bashful brunette who had yet to budge from her place behind the front counter. Squall instinctively averted his gaze to her.

_She can manage…_The young man narrowed his eyes momentarily. "I'll bet," he muttered before shifting his focus back to the manager and passing off another cordial grin. Rinoa felt a verbal slap square across the cheek. She immediately sensed tension from him just from that one response. Her eyebrows wrinkled with confusion, with hurt.

"Well, I'll be on my way then," Margaret said suddenly, but then eyed him suspiciously. "…You're that kid from before, aren't you? I had heard a rumor about you working around here doing average Joe work, but I didn't think those rumors were true. Everyone claims to see you in town now and again, but some people say things like that just to get attention. Who knew you'd become so popular? Heck, I even remember when you first came into this store to make a few purchases. Never thought I'd see the day when you'd be supplying those same items to _me_. Say," the older woman faced Rinoa curiously. "…The only reason he ever came to Timber in the first place was because your faction hired him from Balamb Garden, right?"

"…I'm sorry," Rinoa shook her head," That's something I'd rather not talk about. I'm just as surprised to see him as you are."

"Forgive me," the older woman muttered while facing him again, "I'm talking way over my boundaries here, but I think it's good you're taking on a different career path, doing some soul searching. You can't expect a hired _soldier_ to fight forever, especially when there's no war or nothing to stand for. Take it from an ex-faction member."

_Did he quit SeeD? _Rinoa stared down in confusion. _No…Squall would never..._

Squall released his breath and shrugged his shoulders. She was going on and on about him as if he hadn't been standing there. "It doesn't matter," he made himself known in the room again while stripping off her copy of the document and then pocketing his. "This is what I do now and with that being said, the first delivery is on me, so don't worry about the fee. Have a nice day."

"Thanks very much! You do the same, you hear? Oh! And Rinoa, could you please put away the stock for me? I have to run a few other errands! Thanks!" the manager exclaimed as she exited with the close of the bell's chime, leaving Rinoa alone with him inside the empty store.

_Dammit,_ Squall groaned within. The manager had escaped before _he_ could. _Now what?_

There was silence, and of course one could hear a pin drop.

Rinoa sighed aloud and walked around the counter toward him while extending her right arm. She seemed to be approaching him for a hug. Naturally, Squall loosened up his arms, readying himself for the big moment.

"I have to put that stuff away. S'cuse me," she pleaded, pointing to the boxes on the floor behind him. Squall's mouth dropped straight away. Sheepishly, he tugged on the brim of his cap and avoided her face. Rinoa was so fixated on the boxes that she hadn't noticed any of his animations transpiring. He had completely forgotten about the delivery that was behind him the moment the owner left them alone together. Actually, he had forgotten his entire purpose for being there at all.

The boy quickly recovered from his temporary hurt once the realization of Rinoa's intentions set in. She was going to attempt moving the boxes on her own. He held up his hand, naturally trying to redirect her actions, and blocked her path by sidestepping into her view. "Hold on. Just tell me where it needs to go, and I'll bring it there. It really _is _heavy."

"Squall, she was right, you know? I can manage."

_Is that what you tell yourself every day?_ He thought while lowering his hand and stepping out of her way of the box. "Alright, you can manage," he retorted sarcastically, though out loud it sounded ridiculously condescending, which was not his intention.

"What are you trying to say?" Rinoa faced him with an eyebrow cocked and then folded her arms.

"Nothing," he shook his head while throwing up his hands defensively. "Forget about that," he responded contritely while reaching up to the back of his neck and rubbing a bit. The brunet then raised his right hand up to the brim of his cap and tugged on it as if to suggest his departure. "I'll let you take care of things here then," he said with a cordial smile.

Rinoa paused for a moment, examining him closely. Squall realized she was up to something and had remained in place awaiting her report.

Her arms dropped to her sides. For the time being, she chose to forget about the boxes that remained untouched on the floor. Something much more serious was at hand, and she couldn't quite put her finger on it. There was something about him that appeared odd, offbeat. She just couldn't help but to stare at his face, how it had somewhat changed. It was more defined and less baby like, but it was also being accented by the baseball cap he had chosen to wear. _That's what it is! _Rinoa exclaimed within. He simply looked different wearing a cap, or could it have been that he had indeed grown a little. Now that she thought of it, he appeared to have gotten taller at least by an inch or so. Either that or she was shrinking. The girl hoped for the former.

Rinoa crossed her arm up and grabbed her left elbow, a familiar and playful stance that Squall noted. She then shifted her weight to the right side of her body while leaning on her right leg. Like the playfulness he had already expected to see, Rinoa tilted her head at first with a tiny grin, still finding it amusing that he had been wearing a baseball cap at all. She'd never seen him in one before.

As her stance implied the obvious and unspoken, he knew she was bound to let him in on whatever was going through that interesting mind of hers.

"What…?" he finally asked with a quizzical stare, unable to withstand the suspense any longer.

"Is that a new look for you, the ba—se?" Rinoa released a rushed chuckle even before finishing the rest of her question. She muffled her mouth and then continued, "…The baseball cap?"

Glancing up at the brim of his cap first, he came to a full grin. He had completely forgotten about the concept of wearing one. After growing accustomed to wearing it, it was akin to wearing the gunblade sheath daily. It became part of him, figuratively speaking. "It's just part of my work attire. That's all," he answered with a shrug. Rinoa's hand relaxed back down to her side as he continued, "Weather varies depending on the town or region I'm in, and it helps me to see where I'm going. What about your apron?" She had indeed looked cute in the little blue apron, he admitted within.

"It's part of my work attire, too." The girl's smile softened, glad to see she had cut some of the tension between them with laughter.

"It looks…_dorky_, I know," he admitted, referring to his cap.

"No it does _not_," she shook her head. "It looks good on you."

"…Whatever," he said while waving a hand in the air and joining Rinoa in a little chuckle. The store was filled with their soft chuckles and created a nice and mellow atmosphere. It was breathable again. Squall relaxed.

"Wanna sit down?" she asked him.

"No, I'm fine," he replied quietly.

"Well, _I_ will!"

Rinoa abandoned the boxes on the floor and made her way back toward the front counter. She walked around it and took a seat on the stool behind, inviting him further into the store. Squall approached the counter also, stopping at its front. From therein he took on his familiar stance, one foot before the other and pointed at an angle while the other remained on the straight path. She smiled at his nonchalant behavior.

"…So," he rested a hand on his pelvis. "How have you been?"

"I've been fine. Thanks for asking," she smiled while gathering her breath. For some reason she felt jittery, as if she was being interviewed. "It hasn't been easy, but I've managed to land a nice job here. I've been working at this store for a while."

"That's good," he nodded. "…I heard things were a little rough for you once Caraway got into office."

_How does he know that? Has he been checking up on me? _Rinoa reflected before discussing the matter, "Yeah. Now that the media is broadcasting live again, everyone's curious about Deling City's next steps. They want to know everything he plans to do with it. They started digging up the things that happened when Edea was possessed by Ultimecia. And of course, everything that happened then leads to me and my being there when Deling was murdered by her hands. I ended up leaving Deling City to live here for a while. I was supposed to be there to patch things up with my father, but that'll have to wait." Rinoa's eyes shifted to the floor, "To be honest, I'm a little glad it's been put on hold..."

"I know the feeling…" He agreed, remembering a talk he had had with Laguna some years back, before she left. _I had just found out about him being my father…and…sometime after, she left. _Squall lingered in the past longer than he intended to.

"Oh yeah!" Rinoa exclaimed, snapping him out of his daze with her a sudden thought. Squall was grateful. Their eyes met again, locking instantly. Rinoa slightly blushed, but managed to follow through with her question. "Did you ever get to go back to Esthar after that talk with Laguna?"

"I have," he nodded once more.

"…And?"

The boy shook his head and retired the hand from his waist. Looking down at the tiled floor, he searched for a reasonable answer. "There's so much I don't understand… Having been able to see the past in action for myself, I…I don't understand how Laguna made a choice to stay there for as long as he has." The boy lifted his azure eyes back to hers as he continued, "But it is what it is, I guess…"

Rinoa was unsure of his exact reasoning for making that statement. Once in a while, he would speak about events from the dream world they witnessed as if Rinoa had been able to see it too. Even knowing she hadn't experienced the first handful of dream world episodes like everyone else, he and the others hadn't gone into detail about it or thoroughly explained what they had seen in the past. Sometimes she felt so out of the loop.

"Well…what about now…?" She found it safe to change the subject, seeing as Squall was quite reserved about the somewhat recent revelation of his parents. "What exactly do you do now, or rather how did you get here?"

"Me?" his grin returned, dismissing the thought, "…It's a long story."

"Well let's hear it!" she displayed a bright smile, leaning forward into the counter.

"Aren't you on duty?"

"You say that like I'm a SeeD or something," she laughed, "but yes, I _am _on the clock."

"Then you should get back to work, Rinoa," he suggested while motioning his head back toward the boxes that were still stacked beside the door, untouched. "I don't want to hold you up; besides, I have to be getting back to work, myself. My driver called in today and so I'm filling in."

_His driver…? _Subconsciously, Rinoa's face dropped to the floor worriedly, as if forgetting something, "…I guess…I guess you're right."

He nodded.

"In any case," she continued, while facing him once more. "It was really good seeing you again, Squall. I—"

Suddenly, a ringer of some sort sounded from his pocket, curiously it was the same chime from the bells at Balamb Garden. Rinoa smirked at this discovery. Squall reached his hand down to his side to see the caller's information. He was receiving a text message from a coworker via the online store services.

"Speaking of…sorry, I have to get going," he apologized while silencing the ringer and leaving the phone in his pocket. Rinoa straightened her back as he followed up, "It was good to see you again, too. I'm glad you're doing well."

"Yeah, you too," she agreed unenthusiastically, disappointed and unsatisfied at the most.

"Take care, Rin," he smiled amicably and waved, and then turned away from her. The brunet made his way toward the door, heavy boots hitting the floor one step at a time.

Rinoa squeezed her hands into fists. She wanted to scream out to him to stop, but couldn't. Seeing him again and speaking with him again, it didn't quite carry on the way she had imagined it would. Given how they had parted ways in the past was most unfortunate for both parties, but surely there should have been more conversation between them than that. _He could have at least given me a contact number or something_, she groaned within.

"Squall!" she called out to him finally, causing him to stop dead in his tracks. He had his hands on the door handle, ready to pull for the exit. The brunet narrowed his eyes, glaring through the glass door. His eyes aligned with the bricked pavement outside where the pasty sky seemed to smother it in fog. Rinoa's eyes saddened, "Is that all the time we have?" She swallowed her breath, watching the back of his head at the door. She tried to find his reflection in the glass from her place behind the counter, but could only find his silhouette painted in the doorway. It reminded her of his dark attire and the coat with the fur trim. The girl placed an elegant hand on the cherry wooden counter, tracing its outer edges as she walked around to its side.

"You…" her voice barely overcame the silence. She could hear him breathing from there, "You haven't even told me how _you're_ doing," she walked gently into the stillness of the room coming to the end of the counter, but leaving her hand at its edge.

He stood in place with a firm grip on the door handle, still contemplating his next action. He really didn't want to end their conversation. Inside, he was just as overjoyed as she was and wanted to stay longer. Naturally, he was excited to see her face again, to speak with her again, and hear her voice again; however, he could not stand to see how incredibly well off she had been without him, nor could he pretend to continue with his charade.

He could no longer carry on the façade of having no hard feelings. Unspoken bitterness tugged at his heart as he forced out his answer. It was the type of bitterness he had learned to ignore over the years. Covering it up with work had always seemed to work so well.

"Can't complain…I seem to be managing well enough on my own, thank you," though it hurt to admit it aloud, his response was still as honest an answer as he could possibly gather with all the strength of his mind and body.

Rinoa's reaction remained unchanged.

The boy stared at the ground a moment longer, blinking quickly. Realizing she was still unsatisfied with his response, he sighed aloud. "This _is_ what you wanted, isn't it?" He finally revealed his face to her, eyes retaining that sternness she had remembered from their past.

"…I beg your pardon?" Rinoa lifted an eyebrow.

"…When you left, you said you wanted to be able to meet back up with a smile. No hard feelings, correct…?"

Rinoa was at a loss for words; however, he was completely right. He had indeed quoted her verbatim. How cruel and ironic life was, taking her very own words spoken and then gift wrapping them and presenting them right back to her. In the end, it was a horrible gift, a horrible but a necessary one. It sounded nice and ideal as a teenager, but to actually hear it spoken and to live through it was excruciatingly difficult.


	3. Renew

Rinoa opened her mouth to speak and again found herself unable to conjure up words to fill the void. No words could express her deep and tangled emotions. She was truly sorry for having suggested that at all.

Seeing as the girl had no further comment about his statement, Squall faced the door once more. The ringer blasted from his pocket again and suddenly. Among Odine's great inventions, this one had to be the worst imaginable, he thought. It served only to reveal the true impatience of humanity more than bring convenience to ones' life. Calling every few minutes to deliver the same news? Squall decided to silence the pager for good. Rinoa lifted her hand to her elbow and took a step forward. He then glanced at her, "I really have to get going. Take care of yourself."

She watched him tighten his grip on the handle and twist to open the door.

"Wait!" Rinoa yelled abruptly, leaving the counter completely and trotting after him. She managed to stop him from going any further. "Just wait a minute, please? I…"

Squall released his grip from the handle and allowed his hand to drop fully, waiting to hear her explanation.

"What you just said…I, I really didn't mean it like that," she approached him slowly, still only seeing his back. Rinoa wanted to reach her hand out to him, but was too afraid that he would shrug away from her touch.

"Sounds pretty harsh when you're on the receiving end, doesn't it?" He inquired sternly, turning about to see her concerned face. He placed a hand on his lower waist. "You said things back then that you thought would make leaving easier to bear, but really you had no idea what you were talking about. It's been three years since you left me, and every day I had to learn to let go of you completely. I had to somehow move on with my life. It hasn't been easy for me, but I'm managing on my own also. I just thought you should know that."

His words ignited a fire within her soul.

"Now wait a minute!" the fighter within the young woman awakened from a long slumber. Rinoa gestured her hand toward him and then herself. "You can't totally shift the blame to me! I told you my reasons for leaving. No one was angry! I just wanted to make sure I hadn't left on bad terms with you."

"That's why I didn't say anything," Squall calmly argued. "I didn't want to jeopardize our relationship by making you stay where you didn't want to be. What could I have possibly said to you at that time anyway? Have a good trip? Have a nice life?"

"You could've been a little more vocal about it then! _Anything_ said would've been fine!" Rinoa lifted her hands together, expressing the vastness of his failed opportunity.

"Well you should've given me time to respond properly. I didn't get a chance to address or change things between us, and on top of that, you were out of the garden an hour after telling me about leaving anyway! There was no time!"

"Because I know you, Squall," Rinoa shrugged. "I had to leave right after because I knew you wouldn't have been able to handle everything else I had to say."

"Wait, there was more? What else was it then? Go ahead and tell me now," he folded his arms.

"What? Don't be ridiculous! It doesn't matter!" she fanned him away. "It's old news anyway."

"No, it _does_ matter. There's still time to be completely honest with me! This might be the last time you ever see me again anyway, so I suggest you shoot for it."

Rinoa fidgeted. Why was he so determined to leave forever? Had her words from the past been that hurtful? Or was he bluffing?

"Okay then," she swallowed her breath, hoping for the latter end. "Since you put it that way, then I guess I have no choice but to let you have it! I really wanted to leave because I was living in your shadow and always at your side. I was losing myself to you. I didn't want to end up being afraid to live alone like you. Rather than saying all that, I spared you the drama and how did you respond? You didn't say a word! Whether you realize it or not, not hearing anything from you hurt me the most. I just wanted to leave and put it behind me as soon as possible. It's not like I wanted to disconnect from you completely or forever. I would've liked it if we could've remained friends and as a matter of fact, I still would like that!"

_Friendship!? _Squall was repulsed.

"Sorry," He released a hollow laugh while taking a step backward and attempting to face the door yet again, trying to leave her foolishness behind. "I'm getting out of here."

"Squall, no!" Rinoa shook her head again. "Can't you just hear me out?! Why don't you give me a chance to explain anything that I say? At least explain to me how you feel right now."

"I need to explain? _Really…?_" his eyes widened. "You expect me to just come here and openly discuss my life with you like we're best friends again? Have you forgotten about what happened? Open your eyes, Rinoa. I _can't _be your friend! I still don't think it's a good idea for us to continue seeing each other if friendship is all you want from me. I can't do that to myself. I can't open myself up to you just to be hurt again. I won't allow it to go anywhere, not unless you want something different, which you clearly don't, and that's why I have to go!"

"Have you _ever_ placed yourself in my shoes?!" Rinoa laughed, though finding nothing amusing. "Honestly! Here's a little history lesson for you, Squall, the ever workaholic SeeD! If you weren't so caught up in work, you would have realized that our relationship had degraded to just a friend level anyway. Sure, we were friends before and through everything, but after awhile, that's _all_ we were. The only difference between _our_ relationship together and our relationship with our _friends_ is that we hugged occasionally! I wanted _more_, but you were too busy for that! Not to mention we had to abide by those stupid rules all the time and I felt like I was back in grade school! What else was I supposed to do? Wait for you to quit your job or retire to be with me?! We both knew that that was never gonna to happen! My leaving was right on time! I left before I got my hopes _crushed _by reality!"

"We were teenagers when that happened! I was just beginning my career as a SeeD! What more could I give to you at that time? I was still figuring everything out. You couldn't expect me to be able to give you everything that you wanted and then work to the best of my abilities! I understand that I could've tried harder to be there for you, but the truth is we were kids! And for the record, I'm not a SeeD anymore! Alright?!" Squall stared at her penetratingly, eyes burning with anger. "I haven't been one in _three_ years! …Is that not enough for you?!"

The bell on the door sounded immediately as it opened. Squall snapped his head back to the intruder with a death glare and sent a chill down the man's spine. "Um, Hi, Rinoa," he squeaked in fear. Rinoa remained silent, glowering at the ex-SeeD standing before her. "I'll-I'll, uh, I'll just come back later."

The customer finally closed the door with its bell chiming erratically, and went about his business.

Squall faced her and gathered his words, mentally preparing for her onslaught of expected questions.

"Why aren't you a SeeD anymore? I thought you loved your job."

"I wasn't performing up to par with everyone else because I was so hung up over you!" he retorted sarcastically, and yet was very serious about his answer. Though it was not a traditional Squall answer, she knew there was some truth behind his words.

"That isn't funny, Squall!"

"I'm not laughing," he waved a hand in the air. "I can't go back until I've regained my focus. My priorities were out of order, and that's why I'm here now. Besides, it's no wonder I lost control. What you did was completely selfish!"

"I never actually asked you to leave Balamb Garden! _That_ would've been the selfish thing to do!"

"Well it's just as selfish when you don't consider the other person's feelings on a matter and handle the problem on your own without giving them a chance to offer input."

"When did you ever consider my feelings about being there every day!? Did you think I wanted to be there every _single_ day?!"

"Rinoa, I wanted you to be with me! I thought that was enough for you at that time!"

"Yeah, but I wanted more from you, Squall!"

"Then why didn't you just tell me _that_? Why didn't you give me a chance to make things right?!"

"I didn't think I had to! You used to know me so well! You're always super observant about everything and everyone else! Couldn't you have been a little more observant when it came to me?!"

"You think I didn't notice?! I saw how withdrawn you were becoming! But…really, you were waiting for me to say something? Why did I have to read you? I'm sorry, but that goes against what I love about you, Rinoa," he paused a moment, swallowing his breath before continuing. "You were spontaneous. The fact is I really couldn't read you too well. I never knew what you were going to do, or what to expect from you, especially before you became a sorceress! As friends, you were very vocal about your opinions, but later when our relationship grew into something more, I took the lead in everything while you practically stopped sharing your thoughts with me. You let me do all the talking, and then you stopped contributing. Yes, I've always observed you and had never stopped, so naturally at the back of my mind I knew something was wrong, but whenever I'd ask if something was bothering you, your response was always the same: No, everything's fine and that you wanted to be with me. That was all."

Rinoa's eyes watered and she turned away from him to hide her face, forcing him to stare at her back or her shame. In the end, he wasn't completely at fault. She, too, had contributed a lot to their discord and eventual break up. Her silence prompted Squall to continue. Pain pulsated from his words and ravaged her soul. She hadn't come to realize the toll of her actions leading up to now. She had inflicted so much hurt upon him. It was overwhelming.

The brunette took weakened steps forward to the counter, placing her left hand at the corner of the desk.

His eyes softened. He could only imagine what she might have been feeling inside right now. How ironic everything had been. Back then, he would have been hard pressed to explain and vocalize his critical thoughts; ironically over time, she had incorporated the very thing that annoyed her about him the most into her daily routine. If anything, Squall hoped and knew somehow that her unresponsiveness so was purely unintentional.

"I'm not a mind reader. I never have been," he approached her slowly. "You expected me to assume I knew what was going through your mind. Even more, why did you expect me to say it _first_? Did you ever think that maybe I didn't want to admit something was wrong, that maybe I wanted to change things and make you happy, but I just didn't know how to approach the subject? Did you ever give me a chance to do that? No! You never included me in your thoughts. You decided one day that you should go, and that's exactly what you did. You left!"

Rinoa burst out in tears. A flood of tears fell from her eyes immediately. Suddenly, she felt as though they were seventeen again and back in his dorm room wearing their legendary attire, standing in awkward, feeble bodies. His room had been among one of the places where they had discussed many issues throughout her stay at Balamb.

Rinoa lifted her hands over her mouth, muffling her cries. All at once, the sadness and anger she had abandoned as a teenager reemerged into her being. Everything was clear as day, though her heart felt heavier having heard the truth from him. Finally, she could reveal and release the tension from her soul, the long hidden strife she had buried deep within for three years. She felt more comfortable releasing this inner turmoil across the room, rather than to him, and continued standing with her back to him.

"How was I supposed to stay there feeling that way?" She cried. "I felt completely useless! Like there really wasn't anything else I could do with my time there." The girl wiped her eyes and lowered her hands. "Everybody stopped asking me if I wanted to go with you all on your missions! Nobody included me in anything, but you or Selphie and sometimes the others! But that was it. No one else! Even when I reached out, no one answered. I had no reason to stay at Balamb Garden! The other students started to gossip about me, saying I had no purpose there, or that my purpose was to be your girlfriend only! And then I heard someone say that Headmaster Cid was keeping me there to watch my steps as a sorceress! You know, never mind the fact that I had gotten stronger in combat or that I was capable of great magic."

"The other students rarely saw me in action anymore, and outside of the battles, I looked inadequate. Eventually, I started to feel inadequate, too." Finally, Rinoa looked over her right shoulder at him, where he saw her cheek glistening in tears. "Most of all," her voice had fallen tremendously so much that Squall took another step forward to hear her clearly. "I wasn't a SeeD. I was being judged…and you never noticed."

Squall placed his hand on her shoulder. He hadn't heard the rumors. He had learned to ignore the nosy kids and their gossip. It came with the territory of a garden base filled with children and teens. Gossip was bound to happen. Still, he wasn't aware of the careless remarks they had passed around about her. He never knew. _I guess I'm not that observant after all._

Rinoa closed her eyes and placed her hand atop his. She felt her confession paled in contrast to his, especially since it was the end result of her not speaking up about the situation. However, it hurt him to know the truth now more than she realized.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, sliding strong arms around her body and embracing her gingerly from behind. Rinoa's hand remained covering his. Rinoa relaxed in his hold as older memories returned to her.

With closed eyes, she recalled the fabric of his coat and the feathery tickles implemented upon her face and skin by the trim of fur aligning its collar. Rinoa missed the way his belts left impressions on her upper thighs and feeling the cold steel of the buckles and individual buttons tracing along the straps of his belts pressed against her. She even missed how he would smile whenever that same coldness caught her off guard, giving her a fright. Of course she was annoyed when the latter happened, but he had such a gentle smile and it immediately calmed her down every time. She remembered his patient, but firm gloved hands delicately discovering newer and more receptive areas of her body, places she had never been touched before in some scarce moments of raw curiosity they had experienced together. Even so, he had never gone overboard, never ventured beyond the rules of the garden. She could thank his upbringing for that, though because of the many years of his training, she respected and loved his discipline equally.

Rinoa turned to face him in his arms and rested her head upon his shoulder.

In that moment, Squall tightened his muscular arms around her torso and brought her back to their reality. They were standing inside the pet store in their work attire once again, unbothered by everyone. Rinoa moved her face onto his chest, not realizing until just now how she had missed above everything else simply pressing against his warm body and hard chest where the cool silver of the pendant occasionally touched her cheek. Squall smelled the same, like freshly bleached laundry and a warm summer breeze; that is, before they went into battle. Even so, the scent following a difficult battle was equally as rewarding as the former. She enjoyed his scent.

How she missed him…

The moment was long and needed, but Rinoa hadn't meant to linger. He hadn't complained anyway.

She decided to pull away from their embrace slowly, lifting her eyes up to look into his as he lowered them to meet hers.

"…I'm sorry," The girl looked away from his face, embarrassed. She pulled away from his embrace completely, and found her eyes staring at the silvery face of Griever. "…That's what it felt like to be there every day. I was so alone. But the scary thing is, sometimes I feel like things haven't changed."

She shook her head and looked into his eyes again, "It's almost like I'm getting up and coming to work in vain. I thought I'd get somewhere, get something accomplished by being here, but the truth is I'm out of place here in Timber. I wish I could do more. All I do now is come to work every day and go home to Angelo. I left because I felt inadequate and lonely, but after all that, I'm still alone. The Forest Owls have dispersed. We're all doing our own things. Watts and Zone are off helping the White SeeD members, and I'm here, working at a pet shop," she sighed lightly. "I'd join them if I could, but it'd be just like before at Balamb. I'd end up getting in the way again." Rinoa's eyes faltered, lowering to Griever once more. "…I'm stuck here wondering if this is really my purpose. Am I to wander from place to place aimlessly?"

"Why do you keep saying that?" Squall rested his hands on her shoulders again and fought to reclaim the attentiveness of her eyes. When Rinoa finally looked up at him, he narrowed his eyes, "You were never in my way, Rinoa. I'm sorry I ever made you feel that way," he took a deep breath and leveled with her, "…From the beginning, I've wanted only the best for you. I know things weren't perfect when we were together, but it was a great start nonetheless. I can empathize with what you were going through, and because of that, I respected your decision to go. It was necessary." He had dropped his arms from her shoulders at the close of his words.

Rinoa sighed aloud, "You're making my leaving into some glorious thing! I felt absolutely guilty about leaving you there the way I did! I wasn't unhappy…I was confused. The truth is I initially wanted you to go away with me," the girl brought her eyes back to his, "but I knew you were too wrapped up in being a SeeD to ever consider leaving! I thought if I left, maybe you would voluntarily go right then and there too, but you didn't. You didn't even respond! You took it personally, as if I was purposely trying to hurt you by leaving! I wanted to come clean and say, 'Squall, let's move away together,' but when everything happened the way it did, I don't think…no, I knew you wouldn't leave everything behind! You worked so hard to achieve your ranks! You were so grounded in Balamb! It was your home! I would've been asking you to leave your home for _me_! I didn't want to set myself up to hear your answer because hearing the truth was gonna break my heart even more."

"Before I left, I'd literally spent the last year and a half with you on missions. I was living there with you and the others. I knew all about your life at Balamb, but I kept wondering when were you gonna let me show you the liberated Timber that I'd dreamt about. I wanted to show you places in Deling City where I used to go back when things were fine between my dad and me. I wanted to show you the world outside of your work, outside of SeeD! I wanted you to know that SeeD wasn't the only place for you…and it wasn't where you would always belong," Rinoa presented a very sad smile, the likes of which Squall had not seen before. He frowned immediately. "When I made up my mind to leave after that, I figured it was my time to live alone and live my own life. I had to leave your shadow. I must've been out of my mind to think you'd go away with me, though… Back then, you couldn't even think of your life without SeeD no matter how much I pushed the idea, and that's why I decided to leave. I really am surprised you're not a SeeD now."

"Rinoa," he blinked softly. "You have to understand. I felt fortunate because I had you. It was never my intention to make you feel like you _had_ to stay there with me. It hurt watching you go, especially like that..." He sighed and looked down at the floor and then slowly looked up upon her face again. "But you're absolutely right. I wouldn't have been able to go."

He continued on, "It wasn't your job to stay there, nor were you there because you're a sorceress. You were there because you chose to be there with me. No one forced you to stay for as long as you did, and yet I was there because I was a SeeD. It's what I chose to be. Without SeeD, I didn't have an identity. That's why, if I had been more of an adult back then, I would've told you that it was okay to go. I really wanted you to find something that you care about doing, something that you're devoted to doing. Just like before Timber achieved its independence. You were passionate about being part of the factions and helping them to reclaim Timber. I admired that about you, I still do. So I wanted you to find that place again, just as I had my place there at Balamb Garden. I wanted you to be happy because I knew how unhappy you were when you were with me."

"Look," the boy sighed heavily. "I'm tired of playing tag with you. I didn't say a word to you because I didn't want you to go, neither did I expect you to follow through and leave. Honestly, I had a feeling you were going to leave prior to that day…and I was trying to find a million ways to convince you not to go if you ever decided to leave, but…in the end I couldn't stop you. Besides, it was in your heart to go. Who was I to stop you from doing something for yourself? I'd hate to be stuck in the place where I couldn't contribute to anything no matter how hard I tried. I'd also hate to be where my efforts aren't needed, necessary or appreciated. And that's why I couldn't bring up the subject with you, because I knew it would hurt to face those problems head on. Of course, I was hurt by your decision, but I also respected it."

It was all he had built up to say her if by some chance he could go back into the past and change the way he had handled things before.

"Your actions are what motivated me to follow in your footsteps. I didn't leave right away, but I did still leave," he pressed onward. "Every day of my life was the same. Every battle amounted to nothing. Missions no longer mattered to me. With Ultimecia defeated, Balamb Garden has almost indefinitely lost its ultimate purpose. They can now follow up on secondary missions with Cid now preparing cadets and junior classmen for the future and its endeavors. And if I had stayed there, I'd be in the middle of an unofficial anti-Ultimecia campaign as 'the legendary SeeD.' I'd already accomplished more in my first year as a SeeD than any other student in Balamb. Staying there meant I'd have a career as a decorated SeeD veteran or an instructor. I could possibly earn the headmaster title someday, but in the end…"

_But in the end…is it really worth it if she's not there? I could've stayed and continued to work and show my loyalty to everyone else but Rinoa. What then? _ _Get old…? Die alone after having endured a constant battle of what I had gained versus what I left behind?_

"Career wise, what more could I possibly long for except for those positions I just named?" He muttered his rhetorical question, thinking back along the lines of the headmaster's words of wisdom: _Balance, _the point in time where ones priorities are revealed and meet the embrace of a steady pursuit between love and work. "That's why…you were right about me. I wouldn't have left…. If I had never met you, I'd still be there to this day."

Rinoa's eyes twinkled with tears.

"…You challenged me, Rinoa. You challenged my way of thinking in every way, in every aspect of what I thought was reality. I don't even think you realize how much of an affect you've had on me since day one. You don't realize the magnitude of your questions, every single one of them as simple as they appeared."

_**Do you have any dreams, Squall? **_He recalled her voice almost immediately.

"I remember on the night of the concert_," beneath the stars in FH, _"You asked me about dreams…"

_It was a simple and yet very unsettling question, the kind of question I dreaded being asked. Rinoa is one of the few people I expect to ask such a question, though hearing it from even her made me feel uncomfortable that night. Of course even in speaking with her overall, I felt genuinely relaxed and comfortable. _

He remembered how she dived right into the conversation with him, being the social butterfly that she naturally was, standing there in her silky and fair dress, wearing high heels on that impossible marble floor beneath them and having a placid smile as she asked him innocently._**"Do you have any dreams, Squall? …Any goals for the future?" **_

"Do I have any dreams…or goals?" He spoke aloud, allowing her access to his train of thoughts. Still, his eyes stared away aimlessly. He stared past her, into an unseen abyss.

_It took me all but a second to shrug it away and redirect that question back to her, only to have her answer it just as I had, bypassing it with no input whatsoever. It was still shrouded in mystery. I sometimes wonder now what she might have said had I answered truthfully that night. In my case, honestly, I hadn't reached a conclusion. I hadn't answered because I hadn't dreamt of anything. I've always been too fearful of not having an answer, but arriving at a question instead. I could blame it on my being a student by nature, or even being a SeeD. I was paid to gain an answer through my mission, but was never allowed to question my superior. It was better to say nothing at all. _

"…As far as goals are concerned," he continued. "It's hard to separate myself from my work, but it's something I'm working on improving. And dreams?" He smiled. "I've never talked about my dreams with you or anyone else because the truth is I never had any dreams. I've never allowed myself to dream," Squall lowered his eyes and found hers looking up at him. "…But every time I look at you, I'm reminded of everything we've been through, everything we've survived together. I did stupid and crazy things just for you, Rinoa. Everything was done to keep you here, to keep you alive."

Squall reached for her hand and laced his fingers with hers, then squeezed it tenderly as he lifted their joined hands to his heart hoping she felt the aggressive thumping taking place within. Rinoa did, and her heart was just as unsteady as his. "I didn't do it because I was ordered to…I did it because I wanted to. I wanted you here because that's just it…I want you _here_. I want you to be here with me every day. I don't know what I'm doing now, or where I'm going with this company. Not to freak you out, but I have no vision of where I want to be in the future because," he spoke while closing the gap between them again, eyes softening. "Because you're not here…"

"…Standing with you right now is the most complete I've felt in a long time," he whispered softly. With his free hand, Squall reached up to remove the cap from his head, and then rested it on the counter behind them. He then pulled their bodies together, feeling every opposing curve being filled. Squall felt the pressing of her perky breasts against his upper body. He missed her tenderness, her softness and realized now over the years, she had become rounder, fuller. The boy lowered his forehead onto hers, his hand still rested at her natural waist line where he thumbed the midriff curve of her body.

She gazed into his eyes while breathing softly, exhaling the last of the guilt that she too had been holding inside since seeing him again. "How," Squall whispered. "How can I even begin to think of having dreams when I'm…when I'm staring at her right now?"

Rinoa immediately embraced him. He tightened her body, her being, and her soul by pressing their bodies together tenderly. They inhaled and exhaled together as Rinoa rested her head into his chest, releasing trembling tears all at once.

She smiled and lifted her free hand up to his face, feathering his cheek ever so gently while raising her head to meet his eyes.

The intensity of her heart pounding within, it was enough to make her feel lightheaded. He could never know the amount of emotions his words triggered inside her. "Squall…" She murmured softly. "I left because I wanted more. I wanted more and I wasn't sure if you would agree being that we were still teenagers. I didn't think you wanted it too."

He had opened his eyes the moment she began speaking. He thumbed her lips and stared into her eyes longer.

"…Of course I wanted more… I didn't say it back then because I wasn't equipped to handle what we were in for. We were seventeen when everything first started. I know that everything we've both accomplished on our own up to this point has led us here and back to each other. We get a second chance at this now… I know everything will work out fine as long as we have each other, and this time, we don't have to just stop at wanting _more,_" He grinned, knowing she could fill in the rest of that statement. "I have everything I could possibly ever want in my life, but it's incomplete and useless if you're not here with me. I don't need those things… I need you."

Squall shrugged his shoulders and lost the grin, "I know you hate when I say this, but I'll always protect you. I'll provide for you and most importantly, I'll be here for you every day. I know there are no guarantees in life, but I'm going to spend the rest of my life making certain I've done all I can for you. All I ask is that you forgive me for hesitating before, for letting you go so easily. Forgive me for not putting up a fight, and not fighting for what we had.

"…Squall," she whispered, happy tears slipping from her eyes. "I already have."

He closed his eyes at her closeness and then brought his lips down to hover above hers. He placed a gentle and warm kiss on her lips, and was glad to feel her returning it tentatively.

The girl's smile widened between their kisses.

"I missed you," she smiled in her tears as he pulled back to see her face, wiping the tears away.

"I missed you more," Squall grinned and planted a warm kiss upon her soft and delicate lips. Their lips came together with ardor, so much that Rinoa clung to his shirt in need of more. Squall motioned her backward and leaned her against the front counter while massaging her natural waistline. This time, his hands found a way behind the blue apron Rinoa was forced to wear and then traveled beneath her shirt.

The bell of the door sounded again and in walked a customer. Immediately, their lips broke apart and Squall reacted to a soft push from Rinoa's hands, repulsing him down the aisle and out of sight. A little girl with dark hair braided into a two pig tails stood in the doorway, wide-eyed and confused. The sunlight, which had finally broken through the clouds of the pasty morning, glinted from the light teal coat and blue jeans she was wearing. Rinoa gathered her breath at first and then shrugged away her sudden jitters.

"Hi, Sarah!" The young woman chimed at her welcomed guest.

Squall's grin widened. He watched his startled and blushing future fiancée tending to the little girl's needs. Future fiancée considering their relationship progressed forward instead of clinging to the past as it had before. He wanted nothing short of the best for both of them, and knew Rinoa couldn't have agreed more. In his mind, he had no doubt whatsoever that she would say yes whenever he was prepared to ask for her hand in marriage.

He decided to start working on removing the items from the box near the door while Rinoa addressed the girl's concerns. She eventually helped her find what she needed from the store. While doing so, other customers began to walk in one after the other, and Rinoa realized it was reaching the busiest time of her day. She knew she would probably not get to speak to Squall for at least an hour or two and hoped he would stay for as long as he could.

Even after the two hours of her rush hour flew by, Squall stuck around the store and helped out where she needed him most. The two continued to work together, emptying the boxes, reorganizing the shelves and rearranging the display cases scattered abroad the small shop. Eventually the two cleaned away all the remains of the boxes that had been taken apart, and at the end of the day, Rinoa flipped the sign to its closed display.

The next morning the manager arrived in the store to find everything looking neat and orderly. Margaret took a step forward and tripped over a new box no taller than her knees that was stacked on the floor. "What the…"

She came across a letter attached to its top that had been handwritten by Rinoa.

_Hi, Ms. Margaret, I'm sorry to do this to you, but this is my "two weeks' notice."However, I'm going to be leaving Timber really soon. If you need help around the store, I'll be happy to request someone to help you out. I didn't mean to leave so suddenly. I'll be sure to stop by and say goodbye sometime later. Thanks for everything!_

_Rinoa._

"…She must've left with him," the older woman chuckled. "I knew they were closer than what she let on. Oh well, as long as they're happy…"

Margaret went down to pick up the little box, but found it extremely difficult to lift.

"Well, I'll be damned," the manager's hands returned to her hips. "Why the **hell** didn't they move this box too?!"

* * *

"What exactly is it that you do now? Are you a delivery boy? "Rinoa had asked as she sipped orange juice from her glass through a straw. She couldn't help the smile that lit up her face in that moment. They had met up for breakfast at a local diner to simply discuss what would happen next in their lives together. "Not that there's anything wrong with that, you know."

"…Actually, the guy who makes the deliveries is out sick. Seeing as I'm very shorthanded at the moment, I had no other choice but to fill in," he cut into the scrambled eggs upon his plate and forked them into his mouth. After chewing, he continued, "What I basically do is simple. I'll sell and trade items, mainly Mega Potions, to keep a steady income. In order to remain bountiful in my supply, I have to spend a great deal of time hunting mesmerize monsters out in Trabia."

"Wait a minute," she rested the glass on the table beside her plate, "You're saying that this is _your _company? Are you a game hunter?"

"Well, yes, it's my business and also in a way, yes, I guess I am a hunter, although I don't intend to extinguish the species," he shrugged. "When we were preparing to fight Ultimecia, I discovered a way to make a profit from mesmerize blades and the items I could make with them. By using the GFs' abilities, I'm able to refine their blades into healing medicines, and from there, I'll make that medicine into stronger potions relatable to humans and GFs alike. You have no idea how well Mega Potions sell alone…"

Rinoa grinned at his explanation, "With or without Tonberry's Sell High ability?"

Squall laughed, glad that she had been paying attention to the guardian forces nonviolent attributes and capabilities.

"Seriously," the girl lifted an eyebrow. "Since when did you take up business?"

"Since forever," his smile widened. "How do you think I was able to afford the assembling of all your weapons?"

"I guess I assumed you were being paid well as a SeeD," she looked down sheepishly at her half eaten food. Her eyes returned to his a moment later only to find that his grin remained.

"Well, depending on my rank, my salary changed. I discovered this way of making extra gil while we were leveling up and the GFs abilities had gotten stronger, though back then, I didn't have the time to fully expand on this idea as I can now."

"Then that means you're still using your GF," she tilted her head to the side.

Squall shrugged his shoulders, "Only when I'm working. There's really no other way around it."

"Are you purposely trying to lose all your memories?"

He became cryptically quiet. "Of certain days, sure…" she relaxed when his eyes softened, "Nobody wants to remember being wrong and alone."

"Squall," she smiled, releasing a gentle chuckle. "You're so mean..."

"Why is that?" He rested his hand beside his plate, still gripping the fork between his finger and thumb.

"…You're giving the GF my responsibilities…," the girl reached for his hand and took the fork out of his hold. She then slipped her hand into his and squeezed it tightly. "_I'm_ supposed to be the one to help you forget about the past, remember? It's my duty…along with being your professional organizer, fellow hunter, and assistant manager!"

The two immediately burst out laughing, causing others to look in their direction. When their laughter died down a little, their hands remained intertwined.

"Of course," he said seriously. "Wouldn't have it any other way…"

Rinoa looked down at their joined hands and then lifted her eyes to his again, "Do you think…do you think you'll ever go back to being a SeeD?"

"…Eventually," he said. "…Headmaster Cid said we'd always be welcome there, and we'd always have our place should we return together."

"…Promise me that if we do go back someday, we'd live on our own. I couldn't imagine living back on that tiny campus with so little space or privacy."

"I couldn't agree more," he answered truthfully. His eyes captured hers, and from there he motioned them to her left hand, ring finger and then returned to their starting point. When Rinoa traced the motion of his eyes, she found her own widening. The girl gasped, eyes glistening in the highly illuminated diner. Squall blinked softly and displayed a faint, and yet loving grin. "I promise," he added.

Rinoa covered their joined hands on the table top, finally finding her smile again.

After breakfast, he offered to take her home even if for a short drive right around the block to her apartment. Rinoa took him up on his offer and climbed into his truck once more with his aid. The last time she had gotten inside the truck, it was dark out and therefore the inside was hidden by that same darkness. However, with the sunlight brightening the interior, Rinoa saw the remnants of old paperwork scattered abroad the dashboard and a recently balled up paper on the floor. This one was from lined paper and not the usual all white document paper.

As Squall was helping her inside, his phone went off again. He sighed heavily and looked at her, blinking his eyes apologetically.

"Go ahead," With a smile, Rinoa allowed him to answer the call.

"Thanks," he replied. She took a seat in the passenger side and sat forward as he shut the door behind her. He then reached into his pocket for the small device. The window was still rolled down from the last time she had been inside, but even knowing this, Squall remained in her sight. He took the call while stepping away from her door a bit.

Rinoa waited patiently, but found the paper beside her foot on the floor. Curiously, Rinoa reached down for it and straightened it out. It was probably nothing anyway, just drabbling or doodling from his personal collection.

However, the girl was surprised to find an entire passage in Squall's handwriting. Rinoa initially thought it was business related, but after reading the first few sentences, she realized it was about her.

She read to herself.

_Timber scares me to death because I know you're here. I can't face you the way I am now—or maybe I'm too afraid to know you'd feel indifferent about seeing me again. Seeing you smile, though you're happy, would break my heart. You're probably doing well and are better off without me, but I'm not prepared to see that. I'm selfish, aren't I? You have every right to be where you are, happy and all. And I have every right to be here regretting everything that's ever happened between us, regretting not saying a word to you when you left. Contrary to my selfishness, I find myself working to make a way for us. I think of nothing but making a living so that I can provide for both of us. Maybe this is my fate for not being honest with you from the very beginning. I'll spend the rest of my life wishing I had you. I should've held on to you, squeezed you with all the strength in my body and begged you not to go. I should have told you that I love you, but I didn't. I never have—_

Suddenly, the driver's door was opening and Squall climbed in. He followed his normal routine, adjusting his seat and found his gloves on the dashboard among other things. When he prepared to slip the right glove on, Rinoa stared down at the paper. She took a deep breath and looked at him with teary eyes. Feeling her eyes on him, he halted all movement and looked at her.

"Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah," she smiled, wiping away a tear. "I'm fine."

"…Were you crying?"

The girl shook her head and hid away the paper. She slipped it into the door compartment and then reached for her seatbelt above her. Squall leaned across the seat as she was grabbing and sliding the belt buckle across her being. He saw the letter hidden beside her seat, still remembering its crumpled edges. When Rinoa realized she had been found out, she immediately released the buckle. It zipped right back into place, colliding with his face in the process.

"Whoa!" He yelped, holding his chin.

"Oh!" The girl exclaimed, also reaching for his face and trying to sooth the injured area. "I'm so sorry! Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine," he said to her. "It just missed me," the boy lied ignoring the immediate stinging of his face, though his nose and face had reddened with the heighten pain. Rinoa was unconvinced at most, but decided to take him for his word.

"You haven't really changed too much," she whispered. "There are some things that are more than words, some things you don't have to say aloud. For the record, I've always known how you felt about me due to your actions, and that, Squall, is something that I love about you. Naturally you aren't a man of many words, but your actions speak for you."

She moved closer to him, sitting on the edge of her seat as he fell back into the driver's seat, still facing her. "I guess," she continued in a whisper, "I never thought you disliked your inability to say how you felt or what you meant to that degree. As always, I won't force you to say a word to me, because I already know how you feel. I just need you to be here too, because I love you very much and I don't want you to go through life with more regrets."

The girl massaged the red areas of his face with her thumbs, hoping to soothe his unspoken pain away.

"We might have to get some ice," she whispered. "It'll start to bruise if we don't act now."

"Rinoa, I'm fine," he repeated in a soft murmur, trying to place his hands atop hers. "We don't need ice," he said while staring intently into her eyes while softening his own and bringing his palm upon her face. He caressed her cheek with his bare hand, never having the chance to actually slide them into his leather gloves. Rinoa felt his calloused palm sliding against her smooth cheek. The girl closed her eyes at his touch.

She was always so considerate and delicate, especially when it came to helping him. From everything in his life, whether it was fighting beside her, to helping him sort through his everyday struggles, Rinoa was there. She had always willfully stayed at his side. Who was he to not give her the words she had deserved in everything, even though they barely captured the essence of how his inner being truly regarded her.

"…I love you, Rinoa," he murmured, his azure eyes glistening in the stillness of the truck. "I love you so much," his heart was pounding inside his chest. Rinoa sensed the confidence in his words now, felt it in her soul.

"I love you more," she said while holding onto his cheek as he closed the gap between them and kissed her lips softly. Rinoa returned his kiss with ardor, having shared his feelings, written and spoken, and allowed him to grab her from the passenger's seat. Their passion became too heated within a matter of seconds, but Squall hadn't let her go, nor did she pull away.

Eventually Squall would work up the nerve to drive her home, but in the meantime the two managed to ignore the comments of the passerby along the sidewalk outside the diner where his truck had been parked all along. That was something Rinoa knew that the old Squall wouldn't have ever dreamed of doing, and was certainly glad she was able to live in it and experience it now.

And she would trust him with all her heart for all their days to come, and looked forward to enduring their promising and mysterious future together, forever.

_**Fin**_

* * *

_**Author's Little Corner of Cyberspace **_

* * *

_I can't believe how fast time flies. Although I'm happy that most places online log our entries and keep the dates, it makes me depressed about how much time passes in between uploading, be it here or anywhere else I'm posting online. I didn't want to overdo it, but I felt like the ending was a bit overdone. If you thought it was great, then I thank you!_

_You wouldn't believe how many versions of this story I have, which is something I tend to do with all my stories, which is why it takes me so long to update—which is bad! I've cut and replaced, copied older sections of what I wrote, deleted those parts again, added to, rearranged to the point where it's hardly recognizable. The original idea is something I fear I might never be able to express in words, though maybe through forced efforts, and if I should ever manage to write it out, you'd best believe I'll post it up as an extra chapter in possibly a one shot of its own. I'm going to consider this story finished and let it be. As I've stated before, post game isn't my forte, and I love the idea of Alternate Universes more as I am allowed a little bit more freedom. I try to keep the characters in line and true to the original game in all of my stories, and I feel that I am more of a dramatic action and romance writer rather than just drama and romance like before. I will be uploading a new chapter to Fate,Wild and eventually Eternal Breath, both are progressive romantic and action fics, full of drama. Eternal Breath is more of a tribute to the game and is possibly, aside from Clash of the Gardens, the closest I will ever come to a story that can fit into Final Fantasy VIII's world. I'm curious about something. I wonder what Final Fantasy VIII (or any of the FFs for the that matter) would be called if we dropped the Final Fantasy…what would their titles be? Wonder if it'd be called "Tale of a Sorceress' Knight" -Nah, that's too cliché and corny. LOL. _

_I've really missed writing these tiny blogs, and just seeing everyone active in general. The last couple of times I've uploaded here, I felt a bit sad that it hasn't been as active as it used to be. I can't even reply like I used to, and often feel like I give everyone the impression that I'm inconsiderate. I've always struggled with feeling like I don't quite fit in here (for lack of a better phrase)-but whatever, this isn't high school, lol. Writing in general is helping me to grasp that all around storytelling that I crave, though I feel that my passion is beginning to lie more in visual arts than in writing, almost like comics, manga, or even in animation, though not those styles exactly. I feel that I'm on the very edge of finding where I want to be for the next five years before I feel the need to diligently improve in another area. My life is adventurous. I can't tell you how much I've been through and what I've survived, but believe me, I want to always live following my dreams and keeping wisdom in my heart while doing so. You don't have to worry about me posting another sob story. I'm through with talking about other things like my past. Now is the time for action, right? _

_So hell yeah, I'm back again! Let's support each other even outside of this fandom! FF8 has always been close to my heart and was possibly one of my best friends in grade school as well as college years and even now. I'll continue to write and practice artwork with these characters. You can find me on Deviant Art as PuftPrin, in case you're interested. When I've reached a certain satisfactory level, I might even start to take in requests for images. It's amazing what one little game has done, and being part of this is really, really, an honor! I'm loving every minute of this. Thanks again everyone, thanks for reading and most of all thanks for your awesomeness, all of you!_

_Be seeing you all soon, and take care of yourselves.  
StardustRay _

_P.S. _

_Yes, I laugh at my own jokes. Sue me._


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